Sports Betting Regulators Association set to hold inaugural meeting after NCLGS summer event

The Sports Betting Regulators Association is set to hold its inaugural meeting immediately following the summer National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) at the Westin Copley Place in Boston, Massachusetts on Sunday, July 10. Organizers said 21 states will participate in the event, which is open to all states, Canadian provinces and tribal regulatory entities.

SBRA was formed in July 2018 to meet a need for those government agencies responsible for the regulation of sports betting within their jurisdiction, and for ensuring the integrity of the contests the public is allowed to wager on. The SBRA is a project of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI), the umbrella entity for the government regulators of what, until recently, was the only sport where legal sports betting was allowed – pari-mutuel horse and greyhound racing.

The SBRA said its policy-making process will emulate what ARCI has done in horse racing by bringing together the government regulatory entities as well as affected constituencies to develop consistent regulatory policies to ensure the integrity of sports betting and to protect the public’s interest by providing confidence that all wagering and associated events are conducted fairly and honestly.

SBRA Chair Charles Moore, Executive Director of the Wyoming Gaming Commission, commented ahead of the event: “During the last four years the legal expansion of sports betting has and continues to have a profound impact on our sports, the public, related companies and the jurisdictions that have authorized this explosive new market.” 

“Regulatory agencies have common needs and challenges and we envision helping to develop possible solutions and a coordinated approach to matters that cross jurisdictional boundaries. We also envision a place where regulators can brainstorm challenges freely amongst themselves and formalize a way for the regulated entities to provide input to the entire network before recommended policies or rules are finalized and put forward,” Moore added.

Organizers said that one common area of concern is related to the role of government in providing consumer protections or assurances regarding the integrity of the contests the public is allowed to wager on. In many sports, the anti-doping programs are not transparent and in some cases are the result of a collective bargaining agreement between a league and players union, they pointed out, citing allegations concerning the NBA subtly affecting the outcome of playoff games to boost television ratings.

“Casinos and sport betting companies have a common interest with the regulatory entities that consumer confidence is not undermined by scandals resulting from a failure to implement common integrity standards that include public transparency and are independently reviewed,” said Ed Martin, SBRA Manager and President of the Association of Racing Commissioners International.

NCLGS Summer Meeting

The NCLGS Summer Meeting will be held July 7-10, and is co-locating with the GLI Regulators Seminar 2022, to take place on July 7 before the summer meeting kicks off. The latter will address changing technologies and legislation with topics such as building a security framework, successfully facing new challenges in sports betting and online gaming, cryptocurrency and NFTs, unregulated gambling, among others.

The NCLGS semiannual meetings gather legislators, regulators, operators, suppliers, attorneys, lobbyists, media, and other stakeholders to discuss all aspects of regulated gaming. A record of 49 legislators from 20 states and Puerto Rico will be among the more than 250 expected attendees at the Summer Meeting.

Sports, Industry Execs to Examine Impact of Betting On Sports Business at NCLGS Summer Meeting in Boston.Delegate @WVUFLU Fluharty of WV will moderate the panel “Welcome to the Major Leagues:How Legal Sports Betting Has Affected the Business of Sports.” https://t.co/c6zpxefNUq pic.twitter.com/yTSrnb5GzU

— NCLGS (@NCLGS) June 3, 2022

Connecticut Representative Holly Cheeseman will chair the NCLGS Committee on Casinos to assess the outlook for the casino industry. Those presenting to the Committee include Daron Dorsey, Executive Director, Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM); Representative Chris Kannady, Oklahoma; and Louis Trombetta, Executive Director, Florida Gaming Control Commission.

The four-day Summer Meeting will include:

• The GLI Regulators Seminar 2022
• Six NCLGS Committee presentations
• Three general session panels
• International Masters of Gaming Law Masterclasses
• The Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) Meeting for the Sports Betting Regulators Association (SBRA)
• Two evening networking receptions

Registration is open to the public.